Anthony Petit
Encyclopedia
Anthony Petit was an American
lighthouse keeper
. In 1945 he was assigned to the Scotch Cap Light
in Alaska
as the head of a five-man crew. All of the men were killed on April 1, 1946 when a massive tsunami
, created by an earthquake, struck the station, destroying it.
The United States Coast Guard
has named a USCG Coastal Buoy Tender
(WLM 558) based in Ketchikan, Alaska
in his honor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lighthouse keeper
Lighthouse keeper
A lighthouse keeper is the person responsible for tending and caring for a lighthouse, particularly the light and lens in the days when oil lamps and clockwork mechanisms were used. Keepers were needed to trim the wicks, replenish fuel, wind clockworks and perform maintenance tasks such as cleaning...
. In 1945 he was assigned to the Scotch Cap Light
Scotch Cap Light
The Scotch Cap Light is a lighthouse located on the southwest corner of Unimak Island in Alaska. It was the first station established on the outside coast of Alaska.-History:...
in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
as the head of a five-man crew. All of the men were killed on April 1, 1946 when a massive tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
, created by an earthquake, struck the station, destroying it.
The United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
has named a USCG Coastal Buoy Tender
USCG Coastal Buoy Tender
The United States Coast Guard commissioned a new Keeper-class of coastal buoy tenders in the 1990s that are 175 feet in length and named after Lighthouse keepers.Keeper Class cutters serve the Coast Guard in a variety of missions...
(WLM 558) based in Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan is a city in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska, United States, the southeasternmost sizable city in that state. With an estimated population of 7,368 in 2010 within the city limits, it is the fifth most populous city in the state....
in his honor.